To Fall in Love
by Minion of Darkness
Summary: After the destruction of the One Ring Iris is forced into a marriage with the Prince of Mirkwood to forge an alliance between Mirkwood and Silmataurea but the two elves cannot stand the sight of each other.Why an alliance if all threat to ME is ended?


(Important A/N: Okay people listen up! I was previously writing the story 'Iris Silverblade', but then I stopped writing it because I was too lazy! Anyway, I have decided to start writing anew-meaning the whole plot has changed, some characters have been chucked out and some thrown in, but Iris is still the main character and this is still a Legolas romance. So never fear! Oh and you people who reviewed my previous story 'Iris Silverblade' I swear there will be SPACES in this story.  
  
I was new to ff.net and didn't know that my work would appear all cramped up and all seeing as how it looked fine on MSWord. Anyway I'm going to delete 'Iris Silverblade from my account and know this fanfic is going to take up the story of Iris's life. Oh and you people out there who want to say, 'Iris isn't even an elvish name,' read the story bucko's! It'll tell you why she was named that.  
  
I totally appreciate criticism! I mean I don't want you people flaming cause if you're gonna do that I suggest you goooooooooooo! Erm...have I scared you people away? Back to the point, a little criticism doesn't hurt. It'll just improve my writing techniques. So criticise all you want BUT don't over step the boundary. Anyways I've blabbed on long enough. I wonder if anyone will even read this, hmmmm?  
  
Btw, the stuff in italics are peoples thoughts-unless of course I specifically say they're not. And I got all my Elvish from 'The Grey Company' so it may not all be standard Elvish. I really don't know, so bear with me, unless someone knows a website for Elvish.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the LOTR! It all belongs to Tolkien! Sheesh! As if I could create such a master piece or for that matter an entirely new language!!! Oh and the place where Iris comes from I took the name from 'The Grey Company'.  
  
Claimer: Iris and all other unknown characters belong to moi! So if you want 'em come and claim 'em.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Silmataurea (Starlit Woods)  
  
Dawn had arrived. Rays of sunlight streaked across the azure sky as its golden source rose above the tumbling green hills. Birds chirped and sung their songs, but one sound so unearthly and beautiful rose above them all. It was a nightingale, perched on the branch of a tall oak tree. It ruffled its feathers, then swooped into the room opposite the oak tree. It landed gracefully onto the four poster bed, in which lay a sleeping elf. The bird hopped over to the elf and twittered noisily into the elves sensitive ears. The elf shot up in the bed clutching at her ear. She gave the bird a confused look and then jumped out of her bed, remembering her father, Lord Cirion of Silmataurea, had requested her presence this morning in his private chambers.  
  
'Quel amrun, Tinúviel!' (Good Morning, Tinúviel!) said Iris stroking the magnificent bird which chirped contentedly at the show of affection.  
  
Iris threw open her cupboard. She fingered her breeches longingly and then shoved the thought aside knowing her father wouldn't appreciate her walking into his chambers dressed in breeches. Instead she put on a black dress with bell sleeves and silver trimmings. The dress clashed beautifully with her silvery-blonde hair, which reached down past her waist. She ran a brush through her hair and then ran to her father's chambers in a flurry of black and silver. The nightingale simply puffed its chest out indignantly at her sudden disappearance and flew off.  
  
~*~ Iris skidded to a halt in front of her father's room earning a few warning looks from the servants, that she shouldn't be caught running in the halls. She simply smiled at them and then knocked twice on her father's door.  
  
'Come in,' called a deep voice.  
  
Iris pushed open the door and saw her father reclining in a chair, her older brother, Duinhir, leaning against the wall, and her two other brothers Asriel and Fëanor sitting on their father's bed. Iris walked over to her father and placed a kiss on his right cheek.  
  
'Vanimle sila tiri, Iris,' (Your beauty shines bright, Iris.) said Lord Cirion smiling at his radiant daughter. So much like her mother.  
  
'Ada!' said Iris blushing. 'I am sure you did not call me to say that.'  
  
'Nay. I have summoned all four of you to tell you we shall be having guests this evening.'  
  
'Who have you requested to visit us, Ada?' asked Duinhir taking a seat on the bed next to his brothers.  
  
'Lord Thranduil of Mirkwood and his son Prince Legolas.'  
  
'The famed archer?' asked Asriel with rapt attention.  
  
'I believe so.'  
  
'What is their reason for coming?' asked Fëanor eyeing his father suspiciously.  
  
'Ah, but a friendly visit..' Lord Cirion trailed off after he received unbelieving looks from his children.  
  
Iris stared hard at her father seeing his unease written clearly across his features. He was hiding something and she was going to find out what was so important that they should not know about. Her face crinkled in confusion when she understood his motives.  
  
'What do you need to forge an alliance for, Ada?' said Iris quizzically.  
  
All eyes were fixed on her. Had she just read her father's mind? Duinhir looked aghast and tried to draw away from her so she wouldn't read his mind- which she had no intention of doing. Fëanor and Asriel had burst into fits of laughter at their father and older brother's priceless expressions.  
  
'Ed' i'ear ar' elenea! You have your grandmother's gift!' (By the sea and stars!) said Lord Cirion staring at Iris, granddaughter to the Lady Galadriel with amusement. 'Is this the first time you have done that, child?'  
  
'I believe so,' stated Iris matter-of-factly, slightly shocked at this new revelation.  
  
She was already different as it was. One of her strangest features were her eyes. They were of a strange colour. Her eyes swirled with a misty grey, a vibrant violet and a cerulean blue and would change according to her moods. Men would falter in their steps when those eyes were locked on them and women would turn green with jealousy. Right now they were a cloudy grey, reflecting her confusion. Fëanor sauntered over to her and threw an arm around her shoulders, confusing her even more.  
  
'I have a few elven maidens you can work that mind on,' suggested Fëanor grinning devilishly at his sister, who swatted at his arm, furiously.  
  
'Ada, why have you summoned the Lord of Mirkwood? Cannot alliances be sealed through a messenger?' said Duinhir turning his gaze from his siblings.  
  
'He.we would rather seal it in one another's presence. Now you may leave. I have much to attend to,' stated Lord Cirion as he ushered his children out of his room and followed suit. 'I am going to the library. Send Hirluin.'  
  
'But Ada what need is there of alliances when all threat to the people of Middle-Earth has ended?' said Iris.  
  
'I shall speak of it to you after the alliance is sealed,' claimed Lord Cirion walking away, quickly.  
  
'Come let us go to the training grounds after breakfast. I am sure Iris wishes to improve her archery skills. We wouldn't want the most famed of archers to believe she was incapable of handling a bow, now would we?' drawled Fëanor.  
  
'I'll give you incapable of handling a bow, you poor excuse for a swordsman!' said Iris swiping at him and ruffling his blond hair.  
  
Duinhir and Asriel looked at their younger siblings with an air of haughtiness and strolled passed them without a second glance, smiling knowingly at one another. Fëanor and Iris gave them strange looks (A/N: something like this O_o?) and then pounced on their older brothers.  
  
~*~ Iris raised her bow and notched an arrow to it. She steadied her arm and aimed at the target. She had lost count of how many times she'd done this at thirty-two. She was exhausted but Duinhir would not let her go. She prayed to Eru that this arrow would at least hit the target and then, she let it fly.  
  
THWACK!  
  
Iris blinked and stared at the target. Her arrow was embedded a few inches from the centre. She turned to look at her brothers and they smiled warmly at her. She sighed and began to head back into the palace (???).  
  
'Where are you going, Elentári?' (Queen of the Stars) mocked Fëanor using Iris' nickname. 'That was a terrible shot, dear sister.'  
  
'Auta miqula orqu!' (Go kiss an orc) muttered Iris walking on.  
  
Fëanor ran up to her and kissed her cheek and smiled smugly at her. She stopped and looked at him curiously.  
  
'Why'd you kiss me? And why are you looking so smug?' she said thoroughly confused.  
  
'I did what you told me to do,' he stated quite innocently.  
  
'What?' said a very confused Iris. 'I kissed an orc!' whooped Fëanor running off.  
  
'What?' said Iris not registering what he said in her tired mind, but then a part of her mind sparked at those words. 'WHAT?! I'm not an orc, you goblin!!'  
  
Iris ran after Fëanor who was bursting with laughter at his sister's outraged look. The other two, Duinhir and Asriel, took their time as usual, but this time there was a reason. They had just seen Lord Thranduil and Prince Legolas enter the palace.  
  
~*~ Fëanor turned around a bend and then skidded to a halt when he saw who was standing before him-the King and Prince of Mirkwood. He immediately bowed in respect.  
  
'Quel undome!' (Good evening!) said an embarrassed Fëanor trying to straighten his hair.  
  
Thranduil smiled at him, while Legolas merely nodded. Iris came round the bend and tried to stop herself when she saw Fëanor's immobile figure and the two figures in front of him, but was unable to stop herself and went crashing into him.  
  
Fëanor heard Iris and prayed she wouldn't crash in to him, but she did and he went down, face first. Iris scrambled off of Fëanor and stood up dusting her dress and pulled Fëanor up too.  
  
'Amin hiraetha, Fëanor!' (I'm sorry) said Iris flustered by the presence of the two unknown elves and worried about her brother.  
  
'Tis nothing,' said Fëanor rubbing his nose. He prodded Iris' side with his elbow and whispered suggestively, 'The king and prince..'  
  
'Oh! Vedui'!' (Greetings) said Iris bowing.  
  
Thranduil bestowed a smile upon her and even Legolas could not help the smile that crept over his face. From behind Iris and Fëanor appeared Lord Cirion and both his older sons, who were smirking at their younger siblings who were boiling with rage.  
  
'Ah Thranduil! It has been long, dear friend!' said Lord Cirion embracing Thranduil.  
  
'Likewise. I must say you have not aged a day,' said Thranduil laughing along with Cirion.  
  
Thranduil and Cirion walked away and Legolas hung back awkwardly looking at the four fighting siblings, uncertainly.  
  
'You knew they were here!' said Iris pointing an accusing finger at Duinhir.  
  
'Why did you not tell us!' stated Fëanor rather than questioned.  
  
'So I did. It is not my fault if you embarrassed yourself before the Lords of Mirkwood,' chuckled Duinhir.  
  
'Speaking of the Lords of Mirkwood. There is one of them. Hail Prince of Mirkwood! It has been long since we have met!' said Asriel grinning wolfishly at Legolas who merely blinked in confusion.  
  
'You have changed much since we were but elflings, (???)' said Legolas smiling. 'As have you!' exclaimed Fëanor striding forward to join Legolas, Asriel and Duinhir.  
  
Iris stood to a side observing the reunion of the friends and sighed. She turned on her heels and walked back the way she come. She made her way along the dark corridors passing door after door and finally reached a tall oak one. It led to her father's study. She knocked on it lightly and pushed the door open. She saw her father writing at his desk and approached him quietly; apparently he was too absorbed in his work to notice that she had entered.  
  
'Ada?' whispered Iris.  
  
'Hm? Oh Iris! Child, you look troubled. What is the matter?' said her father standing up and walking over to Iris and resting his hands on her shoulders.  
  
'Amin anta Atara,' (I need Mother) sighed Iris hugging her father who breathed deeply.  
  
'I know. We all miss her,' said Cirion, kissing the Iris on the forehead. 'But you must know that she lives on in you. You look so much like her.'  
  
'Ada! Atara was far to beautiful for me to even rival her.'  
  
'Ah, if only you knew the folly in your words, Elentári. Now go to bed; the hour grows late. Quel kaima!' (Sleep well)  
  
'Quel du, Ada!' (Good night, Father!) said Iris kissing her father's cheek and exiting his study.  
  
As soon as Iris stepped out of the study she was pounced upon by her brothers and Legolas who stood to the side.  
  
'Why did you go to Ada? Is something the matter?' said Fëanor wrapping an arm around Iris' shoulders.  
  
'Nay, I merely wanted to say good night to him. I bid you all a good night now too, for I am weary from today's excursions,' she kissed each of her brothers in turn having to stand on tip toes as each was practically a head taller than her. She smiled at Legolas and left.  
  
'Something is wrong. She seemed upset,' stated Fëanor after Iris was gone.  
  
'Aye, her eyes were dull,' said Asriel.  
  
'Perhaps we should ask her tomorrow, but for now let us retire to our chambers. Come Legolas I shall show you your chambers,' called Duinhir as he began to walk away.  
  
~*~ Iris opened the door to her room and stepped in. A soft glow emitted from a candle, casting a shadow on the walls. Léofa, Iris's personal handmaid was waiting in her room with her night gown laid out and brush in hand, smiling at Iris. Iris returned the smile, but half-heartedly. She went to the bathroom and changed herself, then went and sat in front of her dresser. Léofa untied the two thin braids in Iris' hair and began to brush the long silken mass.  
  
After she was done she helped Iris into bed and smiled at her pushing the bangs from her forehead. Léofa was like a surrogate mother to Iris. Always there to make sure Iris was well and happy and if she wasn't was sure to make her feel that way. Iris reached out to Léofa and embraced her. Léofa drew away after awhile, placing a gentle kiss on Iris' brow and blowing out the candle and stepping out of the room after a whispered good night. Iris rolled onto her side and gazed out of her window at the starry sky. She smiled a teary smile as she remembered the days when her mother would tell her stories of their kin under the starlit sky. She sighed and closed her eyes and almost immediately sleep swamped her taking her into a world where not a worry could plague at her fatigued mind.  
  
(A/N: So what do you lot think? Is it gooooooood? Or is it baaaaaaaaad? Or perhaps it's so-so? Anywayz you lot better start reviewing. See the lil' button down under. Well all ya has ta do is ta press the button the pointer and type in a nice comment or a critical one-*grumble*mumble*. Oh well better run it's eleven and my exams are gonna start on Tuesday! Wish me luck. First exam is Economics (yuk!). Blurgh!) 


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